The commission of the bishops’ conferences of the European community (COMECE) has said it “very much regrets” that the EU’s 27 foreign ministers failed to agree on a declaration condemning religious persecution.

Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Westminster has urged Catholics in England and Wales to increase their efforts to serve the neediest (link to full text).

MPs have asked Ministers to explain why £1.85m ($3m, €2.2m) of money allocated for overseas aid was spent on the Pope’s visit to Britain in September.

The Catholic University of Leuven has awarded the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, an honorary degree.